Air filter for electrically heated drapes



Jan. 24, 1950 2 sheets- -sheet 1 Filed Oct. 6, 1948 grwe/wtw LovicPierce Hrringiom.

1950 L. P. HERRINGTON 2,495,414

AIR FILTER FOR ELECTRICALLY HEATED DRAPES Filed Oct. 6, 1948 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Loviq Pierce Herringfifiom ATTOR N EYS Patented Jan. 24,1950 OFFICE AIR FILTER FOR ELECTRICALLY HEATED Y 'DRAPES? Lovic Pierce"Herrington, flamdenpconnq assignor, by mesne assl gnments, to ElectricHeat Devices, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplication October s, 1948, Serial No. 53.073 W This invention relatesto air filters for electrically heated drapes.

In my pending application, Serial No. 2,478, filed January 15, 1948, forHeaters, now Patent N0.,2,469,466, issued on May 10, l949,-I describeand claim an electrically heated drape in which electric heatingelements woven into a fire resistant material are mounted within ahollow sleeve of material formed by front and back elements of fireresistant material the front element then being preferably covered bylalayer of decorative material to form a window. drape of conventionalappearance. This drape is open at the top and bottom.

When the electric heating element is energized the heat will rise in theinterior of the drape, because of its tubular shape, will cause apronounced though moderate chimney effect. This chimney effect willcause the circulation of air upwardly through the drape and thiscirculation of air will entrain dust and dirt which will not only bedeposited within the drape but will be deposited on walls and ceilingadjacent the open upper end of the drape. Such deposition of dust anddirt is objectionable requiring frequent cleaning of the drape andadjacent wall and ceiling surfaces. Circulation of dust and dirt withina room is also objectionable because of its effect upon the occupants ofthe room.

I have found that these results may be overcome by the use of a novelair filter adjacent the lower open end of the drape in such a mannerthat it cannot be seen but will effectively remove the dust and dirtfrom the air passing upward through the drape when the same is heated.

ventionto provide a novel filter for an electrically heated drape whichwill effectively remove entrained dust and dirt from air circulatingupwardlythrough the drape when heated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a filterwhich can be readily and easily inserted and removed from the drape.

Another object is to provide such a filter which does not requiremodification of the drape structure for its use.

Another object is to provide such a filter which when in place cannot beseen and does not interfere with the appearance of the drape.

Another object is to provide such a filter which will take readily anyshape, form or convolution of the drape.

Other and further objects of the present invention will appear from thefollowing description thereof.

5Claims. (01.219-46) I It is accordingly an object of the presentininvention is capable of various mechanical embodimentstwo of which areshown in theaccompanying' drawings and are described hereinafter for thepurpose of illustrating the present invention. These embodiments shouldin no way be construed as defining or limiting my invention andreference should be had to the appended claims for this purpose.

In thefdrawin'gs; in which like'reference characters designate likeparts,

Fig. 1 isa viewof an electrically heateddrape with a cornerthereof'lifted and cut away to show a filter in position within thedrape adjacentthe lower open end thereof in accordance with myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 on the line,.2-'2 thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view of an embodiment of a suitable filter element of myinvention; and

Fig. 4 is a view of anotherembcdiinent of a suitable filter element of minvention.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, an electrically heated drapeID is there shown suspended from any suitable means such as aconve'ntional curtain rod H. Drape) as shown comprises an outerdecorative layer ll of fabric suitably connected to a backing element :3'to form a flattened sleevelike open'ended drape enclosing a suitableelectric heating element l-l. Electric heating element [4 extendssubstantially the entire width of the drape. It is supported at the headof the drape and extends adjacent to but stops short of the lower end ofthe drape. A filter element l5 is mounted within the drape adjacent itslower openend below the heater element I4 "and extendsfrom one side tothe other (of the drape and is secured to the front arid-back elementsl2 and I3 of the drape to close the lower. end thereof.

Filter element [5 is made of a suitable dry filter material such ascotton batting, composition paper, wool feltQfiber glass or other lowdensity large surface filter material. Such filter material is generallyindicated at 16. Filter material I6 is encased in a wire or buckram meshI! which has openings of suitable size to retain the filter materialwithout hindering the fiow of air therethrough.

The embodiment of the filter element I 5 of Fig. 3 is formed in a largerelatively thin sheet encased in mesh I1 and folded over along the lineI8 to form a double thickness. The ends IQ of mesh I! are allowed toextend from the body of the filter to form pinlike elements. The filterof the embodiment of Fig. 3 is inserted 3 into the drape with fold l8upward so that pin elements [9 extend downwardly. When the filterelement is completely enclosed within the drape pin elements 19 areengaged in the cloth of the front and back elements l2 and [3 to holdthe filter in place. 1:. pin elements. l9.pass..completely throughthe-cloth of the :drape they may be turned over into the cloth and'thusconcealed.

As noted above, filter element I5 is of sufii-. cient length to extendfrom one side to the other" of the drape and thuscompleteli'mlosesthezopem lower end of the drape. Air passing upwardithrough the drape must first passthroughthe. filter material l6 and thedustiandldirtienti'ainedi in the air is removedbeforeihemir-passBs-upwardly through the dnape.

In the embodiment of the filter I5 Of Fig. 4 the filter I5 is made in amore'br'less rectang-u lar shape, the filter material 16 again beingren.

closed in a suitable mBShTOf wire or buckram I! havingextendingpinlikeends. l9 to.hold. the element'in place within the drapesThis embodiment.

provides a. thicker body. of filter. material; l5 through .which the airmust pass and thus. provides a filter element .suita'ble l for-largervolumespfjair, or. for. use over extendediperiods. ofgtime withoutcleaning.,.

The type of'filter element showmanddescribed with respect .tqFig, 3.hasbeen 'foundiparticulan 1y suitable for use withrelatively-short.drapesof the lengthsusually, employedin homeswhilethefilter. element. shown.and.describedl with .respectv to. Fig. 4.is.par.ticular1y usefullfor. relatively. long drapes. such as.thosefoundin. auditoriums churches and other structures having long.winedows..

Since filter. material l5? andlmesh l 1. are quite. flexible. filterelements. |5Zmay be easily andireadily formed to take. the. shape.of'the; drapeand may be bent .or. folded-into. folds-.or.. convolutionsdesired for the. hanging drape.. The. cross. sec: tional view of.Fig. 1. .seen. in .Zshows .howfil terqelement- I 5, may be formed orhent'totakeany; shape desiredfor the.drape.. Inthisviewpinele: mentsl9'are shownas.extending,. through. the. front. and back. drape. elements I2.. and; I sanders noted-abovepin elements I9-may s-be bentdowne wardly.after. passing through. the. elements. of the drape. so, that they, are.concealedllhy. the mate-- rial of. such drape elements. 1

It .willnow be. apparentthat'by the present .in-.-- vention I. have.provided; a. novel filterfor. elec-.- trically. heated :drapes. which isarranged. within and. adjacent theopeniower end thereof. tofilter.entrained dustand dirtirom.ain-passingmpward: ly through.- the.electrically. heateddrape; that. effectively.- removes dust.anddirtLfrom. such... air preventing. deposition. thereof within. the.drape. and on adjacent wall and ceilingc surfaces;,that maybe readily.and easily removedlandlinserted within thednape; andLWliich iseasilysformed into any desiredshapetotakeethe convolutionsor folds ofthehangingdrapa.

which the filter. element comprises a generally Changes to ormodifications of the above described illustrative embodiments of myinvention may now be suggested to those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from my inventive concept. To determine the scope of thepresent invention referenceshould behad to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1; In a window drape, front and rear drape elements joined along theirlong sides and supported above and adjacent to the window, an electricheating: element enclosed and supported within said drape elements, anda filter element closingthe open lower. end of the window drape.

21 'I'hecombination as defined in claim 1 in which the .filter elementcomprises filter material enclosedinafiexiblemesh.

3..The, combination as defined in claim 1 in whiclithefilterelementcomprises filter material enclosed-in a flexible mesh the ends of whichextend beyond the filter material forming pinlike elements, engageablewith the material of the frontand'rear window dnape elements to holdthefilter element in position.

4. The. combinationas describedin claimiiin ,which therfilter. element.comprises a. relatively.

thinlsheet of filter materialenclosed by, a mesh andfolded along the.lengththereofjor insertion;.bet'ween. the. front and rear window drapeelements. with the fold upwards, the mesh extendingbeyond the filtermaterial to form pinlikeelements engiageable. with the. front and rear.drapeelements .toholdthe filter. element inposition within thewindowdrape elements to close the open lower end of the window drape.

5...The combination.asdescribedlin claim Lin rectangular. body; offilter material encased, in a. flexible mesh, the. ends. of the meshextending beyond thebody of the filter material to form pinlike elementsengageable with. the frontland reanwindow drapeelements when the. filteris inserted.within the open lower. end'thereof to hold. the. filter. in.poistion. within. the window drape closing. theopen lower-.end of thewindow drape. LOVIC. PIERCE HERRINGTON.

REFERENCES CITED The-following references are. of. record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,841,347. Tuttle Jan. 12, 1932'2,132,263 Hambleton Oct. .4, 1938 2,138,736. Gaardner Nov. 29, .1938:2,165,970 Jaspers. July 11, 1939 2,274,840 Marioket al Mar. 3, 19422,379,580.- Hendley: July-3, 1945:

OTHER REFERENCES Ser. No. 317,610. Mossin. (A. P. C.) nub. May 25. 1943.

